Page 15 of Those That Don’t Exist (Hidden Vampires #1)

An hour later, the party is in full swing, and the packed crowds are getting to me. The air feels too thick and my head is buzzing. I walk out the back of the house, onto the small patio, and take a deep breath of the cold air.

As I stand watching my visible exhales disperse into the darkness, I remember the mystery guy from earlier this evening. How does he keep turning up wherever I am? On campus, I can understand, it’s not overly large and my eyes pick him out of the crowds, but out here, and in town ? It's weird.

I’m so lost in my own thoughts I don't hear him approach until warm hands wrap around my waist. For the second time today my friend’s brother makes me jump.

“Woah, easy,” David soothes as I spin in his arms. His hands don’t leave my waist and mine end up on his chest. It’s a well sculpted chest. “Sorry to scare you.”

“You’re lucky my immediate reaction isn't to lash out.” I let out a nervous laugh.

“Indeed,” he deadpans, giving me a look telling me he doesn’t think I could take him down. I narrow my eyes at him and he gives me the cheekiest grin.

But that isn’t what holds my attention, it’s his heart rate spiking under my right hand. My own breathing increases as I push the pads of my fingers onto the fabric of his shirt.

“We didn’t get to finish our dance earlier, can I claim it now?” He steps closer, and starts swaying my hips with his hands as he starts to move.

“But there's no music out here.” I give him a puzzled look, the only thing I can hear is his pulse.

“Ermm… yeah there is.” He cocks his head at me, lifting his hands to gesture around us with his index fingers. “You must be deaf to not hear that!”

I take my attention away from him. Indeed the music is thumping.

Like the neighbours are probably going to complain, kind of loud.

I giggle in response, laughing off my stupidity.

The noise makes it harder to focus on the feel, and sound, of his blood being pumped around his body, so I block it out again.

He steps closer so our bodies are now flush, forcing me to move my hands up and around his neck.

I link the tips of my fingers together but keep my palms to his skin, thumbs finding his pulse points.

His scent is overwhelming this close. It's sharper in the night air. Saliva floods my mouth again. Strange .

My eyes watch the pulse under my left thumb. I wonder what it would taste like.

What the fuck am I thinking!?

My brain fills with images of his blood, oozing out of his neck, his lips.

A thirst, a sudden all-consuming craving, burns my throat.

It's terrifying and electrifying. Somehow, instinctively, I know a taste of his blood would be ecstasy, although it’s so, so wrong.

I’m vibrating with the want. My jaw starts to throb in response to the images flying across my mind, a mind I no longer seem to have control over.

His scent is so alluring, it’s literally mouthwatering.

David tilts his head, his eyes searching mine as I force my gaze away from his throat and back to his face. Can he sense any of the madness in my head right now?

No, of course not, otherwise he wouldn’t now be lowering his head, bringing his lips to meet mine.

My body and mind scream at me to meet the kiss, but not so that I can taste his lips, no this has nothing to do with any sexual attraction.

The force in my head is waiting for him to come into range so I can somehow draw blood from him, taste the life-giving, hot, sweet, substance flowing under his skin.

My jaw is on fire as I tilt my own head, what the fuck, what the fuck? What. The. Fuck?

As I try to not give in to my own mind and simply meet the kiss, however, I’m slammed to the cold ground. The air is punched from my lungs by a blow to my chest.

Pain radiates up my back as I barely catch myself in time to stop my head from smacking the concrete. I quickly get my elbows under me to rise onto my arms.

I blink a couple times because what I’m seeing can't be true.

David is on the ground opposite me, having felt the same force I did. Unfortunately, he wasn't as quick to react, and looks to be out cold, probably having hit his head on the patio bricks.

Standing between us, with his face mostly concealed inside a dark hoodie, under a long trench coat, is my mystery man. I recognise his frame, his lithe long body. And his scent. It hits me like a freight train.

What the hell just happened?

New fears rise, new excitement sends shivers down my spine. I meet the gaze of the guy I have not stopped seeing at a distance for weeks, his pupils shining even in the dark lighting and shadows from within his hood.

Surprisingly, I see what I think is a reflection of my own messed up head written on his face. Pain and confusion, wonder and shock, an internal battle of how to react to our sudden closeness after these weeks of being only far off glances and one weird game of chase in a bookstore.

The moment ends as David groans. He slowly raises an arm, palm coming to cover his eyes and rub his forehead, which is surely throbbing.

The male before me glances to the trees towards the bottom of the large garden, a place out of sight.

His stance is one of predatory intent, feet slightly spread ready to fight or flee.

His arms are still outstretched from where he’d shoved David and me apart.

His gaze flicks from me to the bushes once more and back, eyebrows raised, before he takes off towards them.

He’s so damn fast I swear if I blink I’ll lose him.

This may be the stupidest decision I ever make but I scramble to my feet and follow before David recovers further, quickly kicking off my heels so I don't sink into the soft ground of the lawn. The grass is damp and cold but I don’t care, I’m not losing this opportunity.

I find my stalker wrapped in the shadows of a huge tree. Its branches start low and spread wide, blocking us from view of the house. I remember playing here with Claire as a child. We’d set each other challenges and race to the highest branches we could climb.

Panting from the adrenaline, I open my mouth to speak. Before I can utter a single word he raises an index finger to pursed lips, shushing me. As I pause, he moves the same finger to tap right below his ear. I hear it then, David calling my name.

Relief flutters through me to know he's not seriously injured, he can’t be if he's up and looking for me already. I step closer to my stranger, deeper into the shadows as I hear footsteps coming closer. David keeps calling, and I swear the shadows we stand in get darker. With barely a foot between us I look up into his deep onyx eyes that are fixed on me. It’s such an intense gaze I have to look away.

I don’t move from the space but do turn to look around the garden for David.

I locate his silhouetted frame moving away from where we’re hidden, to where there is a gap in the shrubbery and a gate which opens to the street beyond.

I can't see him clearly for the plants but hear the gate open and close.

“Don’t worry he’ll be fine, he’s not bleeding,” a soft masculine voice caresses my ear, making me startle and sending a shiver down my spine.

I turn my head, only to realise that the mystery guy has closed the distance between us further. His chest is practically against my back. Another gasp leaves my lips. In the distance I hear David call for me again before more voices join in too.

“Come,” the soft voice at my back orders, as gentle fingers wrap around my wrist before leading me further into the shadows. My voice fails, and I’m pretty sure my heart skips to an irregular beat as I register his touch on my bare skin and allow him to pull me across the lawn.

“We’ll be out of sight here but keep your voice low,” he murmurs as we stop against the fence line, surrounded by shrubs.

I, probably stupidly, let him place the fence at my back whilst he stands before me.

Looking up at him I truly register how tall he is, he is several inches above me, at least six foot two or three.

“Hi.” As soon as it's out of my mouth I flush with embarrassment. Hi, I’d gone with hi?

“Hi,” he replies, one side of his lips curving up into a grin.

He’s so close I can make out his entire face inside the deep hood despite the darkness.

A dimple appears at the corner of his upturned lips, visible through the light stubble on his cheeks and jaw.

My heart stills altogether in my chest. He is that stunning.

My wrist feels cold where his fingers had been, it pulls my gaze down.

I twist my hand in a nervous move to relieve some of the tension coiling inside me by having him look at me so intently.

I notice my scar bright in the starlit darkness.

My brain scrambles for something more to say.

After weeks of wanting to question him, I’m drawing a blank.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” he whispers, almost as if to himself.

I keep my eyes down but hear the rustle of his clothing as he fidgets on the spot.

After a moment, a pause where I think he expected me to reply, he clears his throat and continues a bit louder.

“I’m sorry, if I interrupted something.”

That brings my brain back online. This total stranger has just assaulted me, and the guy I was with. Anger floods my system, overriding everything else I’m feeling. This is bullshit. What a psycho .

“Why did you?” I fire at him, words suddenly flying out my mouth. “Were you watching us? Have you been watching me?” I add with a hiss. His features are completely unreadable now.

“Were you going to just kiss him?” he asks, laying emphasis on the word just , and cocking his head making one of his dark curls fall across his forehead.

The question halts my tirade. I mean, I was thinking about killing David, but I’m not about to give that information up.